that started my nightmare! my problem is: RPM gage takes off by it's self once motor gets to running temp then suddenly shuts off like its getting no gas things replaced in the last six months:ECM, TPS,IAC,PVC valve,EGR,fuel filter,injectors,alternator,plugs, disributorand cap,rotor I can go on! ever since that idiot put sugar in my tank its been one thing after another seems like a big vicious circle help anyone please oh ya and i checked my codes and all it shows is 12


ABOUT A YEAR AGO MY EX PUT SUGAR IN MY FIANCE'S GAS TANK. EVER SINCE THEN NOTHING HAS RUN RIGHT. THE PROBLEM AT HAND IS THAT WHEN I START MY CAR THE IT SEEMS TO RUN FINE UNTIL IT REACHES RUNNING TEMPERATURE THEN THE RPM GAGE TAKES OFF BY ITSELF GOING UP AND DOWN LIKE ITS GETTING TOO MUCH GAS AND THEN NOT ENOUGH GAS AND THEN REPEATS UNTIL IT DIES. THEN IT WON'T START UNTIL THE WHOLE SYSTEM COOLS DOWN. I REPLACED THE TANK AND FLUSHED LINES AFTER THE SUGAR INCIDENT ALSO CHANGED LINES AND THE THROTTLE BODY, INJECTORS, TPS, IAC, PVC, EGR, ECM, DISTRIBUTOR, DIS. CAP, ROTOR, PLUGS, WIRES, RADIATOR, RAD. HOSES, ALTERNATOR, DRIVE BELT, AND NOW IM STUMPED. PLEASE HELP. ITS BEEN AN EXPENSIVE YEAR!

 

mythbusters on discovery did that to a 350 and it did'nt hurt it they had to run it outa oil to kill it

 

There are far too many conflicting reports on this. Mythbusters had no result, but others have been able to kill a car with this same trick. I don't know if it has to do with gas tank or fuel pump design between vehicles or not, but I would personally err on the side of caution.

First things first: don't run the car.

Next, start by checking the fuel filter. If it looks clean, consider yourself lucky; if it is gummed up, sticky, or smells like a tasty snack, pray that your fuel filter did its job and then check the injectors (I'm assuming you have a L03?). If the injectors are gummed up, you need new ones. I'm not familiar with the V6 fuel system, so if you have a V6 and the fuel filter is bad, request that this thread be moved to the V6 forum and go from there.

Whether or not the fuel filter is bad, you must have the fuel pump checked. If that's bad, replace the pump and the fuel lines running from the tank all the way to the filter. Naturally, if the filter and/or intake is bad, replace all the lines straight to the engine.

And last, have the tank cleaned and/or replaced. Replacement would probably save you some money in labor (if you don't do it yourself), as you can pop a new pump onto the spare tank and do a tank swap. If you are doing it yourself, it will save you the time and hassle of trying to clean the tank. Please remember to syphon out as much gas as possible beforehand.

 

IIRC, the real effect of sugar in the tank doesn't happen right away. Thats why it didn't work on Mythbusters.

If I remember right, sugar in the tank gradually just plugs up your fuel system (fuel lines, carb, etc) by sticking to the inside, and hardening up when it its in there. This doesn't happen right away though.

 

ABOUT A YEAR AGO MY EX PUT SUGAR IN MY FIANCE'S GAS TANK. EVER SINCE THEN NOTHING HAS RUN RIGHT. THE PROBLEM AT HAND IS THAT WHEN I START MY CAR THE IT SEEMS TO RUN FINE UNTIL IT REACHES RUNNING TEMPERATURE THEN THE RPM GAGE TAKES OFF BY ITSELF GOING UP AND DOWN LIKE ITS GETTING TOO MUCH GAS AND THEN NOT ENOUGH GAS AND THEN REPEATS UNTIL IT DIES. THEN IT WON'T START UNTIL THE WHOLE SYSTEM COOLS DOWN. I REPLACED THE TANK AND FLUSHED LINES AFTER THE SUGAR INCIDENT ALSO CHANGED LINES AND THE THROTTLE BODY, INJECTORS, TPS, IAC, PVC, EGR, ECM, DISTRIBUTOR, DIS. CAP, ROTOR, PLUGS, WIRES, RADIATOR, RAD. HOSES, ALTERNATOR, DRIVE BELT, AND NOW IM STUMPED. PLEASE HELP. ITS BEEN AN EXPENSIVE YEAR!

 

Please turn off caps lock.

Like I said, check the fuel filter. That's where you have to start. It's probably not an air problem, compression problem, or spark problem, so it must be fuel.

When did you check the codes? Was the car cold? Was it displaying these symptoms when you checked? Get a reading of the ECM codes at all points... as soon as you start, as it's warming up with no problems, and when the RPMs are fluctuating. Was the fuel pump replaced when you swapped tanks?

 

Sugar does not appreciably dissolve in gasoline. If you think some crystallized in your system because of condensation of water into the tank*, throw in two or three bottles of rubbing alcohol into a full tank of gas. That will take care of any possible percipitate in your system.


Again, let me repeat, sugar does not appreciably dissolve in gasoline.







*This is why there will eventually be problems with sugar in the tank. Don't hold your breath though. In order for the sugar to have a negative effect it would have to percipitate out of solution before it hit the back of the intake valve. Once ther it enters the combustion chamber or percipitates as a deposit onto the back of the valve. How it would percipitate in an enclosed volumetric environment, other than temp variations, no one has given me an appreciable answer yet.:shrug:

 

-scratches head- well, he said that the car runs fine until it warms up... thus one of the sensors is screwed up. Try replacing your O2, maybe sugar isnt combustable and it layered your O2 sensor.

 

Well theres probably a good reason he did it

Actually I got a little 91 Subaru justy $50 that the chicks ex did the same thing with. It ruined the engine. I cleaned out the carb, replaced a burnt valve and attempted to get the sugar clumps out of the tank. It basicly self destructed from going lean.

 

One addendum. If they get enough in there it could reach the pick up (just like sand). If fine enough it will make it to the p/u, pump and filter and maybe burn up the pump as well. It does not dissolve though. Thats an easy test for anyone to do.

As for something not running right, first shot would be tune up and O2 then I'd question 'Swapped the EGR'. What about the solenoid? What did you replace the EGR valve with? (ie. universal?) If the replacement was one of those universal types that has orifice washers to calibrate teh EGR flow, you need to ascertain that the correct orifice is installed and staked in properly. Do you have a free flowing exhaust? The TBI set up do require a bit of backpressure to work correctly. Is the MAP unit ok? Lots of things to look at. I wouldn't consider this a problem with the sugar.

SSC, that's why everyone just replaces the tank.

 

ok today I changed the ESC so my car started! Seemed to run O.K. but then it started hesitating and lagging and running hot. It didn't stall though so that's a step in the right direction. I think I'm going to try and replace O2 sensor. Also I got a code 43 once I got home.

 

After reading this thread I realized that no one is addressing the real problem. First figure out exactly how much money youve spent on these problems. Then go find the ex boyfriend and beat the money out of him. Then you can address the damage done. Also feel free to beat any of the money you think you may spend in the future out of him as well. Good Luck.

 

:werd: :yourock:

 

Yep, there is the solution. Too bad the sugar probably didn't cause any of the problems. Maybe you should email him your name addy and phone so when the cops come looking for him he can tell them you said it was A-OK. And leave thirdgen.org out of the conversation, thankyouverymuch.

 

The Devil is right. Sugar is effectively not soluble in gasoline. Any problems you might have would be a result of the particulate contamination, just like dirt, rust, or other contaminants that might be found in any fuel tank. A clean pickup sock on the pump and new fuel filter should solve the problems. If the pickup sock filter was somehow damaged, the pump might have ingested some granules, and may have caused some abrasion damage to the pump. Since you've apparently already flushed the tank, replaced the filters, and verified the pump is working (since you've been driving it for months), the rest of the problems are likely coincidental, and are probably not related.

As a side note, perhaps a ThirdGen isn't the right car for you and your fiancé. The cargo well doesn't have a lot of room for excess baggage.

 

BA-ZING!!

 

so true

 

At work a guy brought his car in for running bad, it was a 85 caprice with a 350 and a q-jet. someone had put sugar in his gas tank, we had to clean the tank out, replace the fuel pump, filter, the sock on the pick up and rebuild the carb. the sugar crystalizes and clogs everything up. It can't be good on injectors, atleast I wouldn't think so.